With only two episodes remaining, Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 continues to be a bloodbath.
First John Dutton (Kevin Coster) died in an unexpected, incredibly layered twist. Then Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) paid the ultimate price for her involvement in John’s murder. Now, Season 5, Episode 12 said goodbye to another beloved fixture on the show — a character who fans have known since Yellowstone‘s pilot episode premiered back in June 2016.
Spoilers for Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 12 below.
Season 5, Episode 12, “Counting Coup,” opened with long-distance lovebirds Teeter (Jennifer Landon) and her man Colby (Denim Richards) checking in with each other on a phone call before spending yet another day apart. As Colby paced in the dark down at the ranch, Teeter — still working at the 6666 — asked him what time it was, and he reminded her it was an hour earlier for him than it was in Texas. Teeter, who had trouble wrapping her head around the space between them, suggested it should take her voice an hour to get to him, to which Colby replied, “I’m gonna let you think that one through and never tell anyone you said it — that’s how much I love you.”
His admission caught Teeter off guard in the best possible way. When she asked, “How much you what?” Colby tried to backtrack by saying he loved her as a person and a friend, but Teeter (and viewers) knew the truth, and she felt the same way about him. “Fuck you. You love me and you said it,” she replied before asking for info on John Dutton and the future of the ranch. Colby didn’t say much, but he told Teeter if she had any big plans for the future, she’d better start working on them. Teeter confirmed, “I got big plans,” and before she hung up, she added, “I love you, too.”
After Episode 11 ended in such a dark place, Episode 12’s opening exchange was a refreshingly sweet, romantic change of pace that shined the spotlight on two supporting characters in the middle of Dutton mania. That should have been our first clue that it was too good to be true…
So who died in Yellowstone, Season 5, Episode 12? How did they die? And how did the loss impact the rest of the ranch? Grab some tissues and read on for answers.
Who Died In Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 12?
Following the charming opening scene, “Counting Coup” quickly switched gears to the bunkhouse, where Rip (Cole Hauser) informed the boys still at the ranch that he planned to sell heifers, bulls, and horses in hopes of saving the business. He made plans for an auction and called Travis (Taylor Sheridan) for assistance. A plan was officially in motion, and although they had quite a few animals to sell, Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) advised against selling one three-year-old “man eater” that was so aggressive he thought it should be put down.
Rip told Lloyd he’d take care of it, but later in the episode, he got a call confirming interest in the “man eater.” He asked Colby to load up the horse, and a concerned Lloyd warned, “I’m telling you, he ain’t right. Don’t put him in an auction.” Rip assured him, “He ain’t going to the fucking auction. He’s taking a ride to Mexico,” and it seemed as though the case was closed. But as we’ve learned on Yellowstone a case can — and usually will — be reopened…
As Carter (Finn Little) was in the barn tending to the horses, he noticed the “man eating” black stallion had knocked over his water. Carter being Carter, he took a risk to help the animal, slipped in the stable, grabbed the bucket, and slipped out without harm. He filled the bucket up and brought it back in, only to be attacked and cornered by the horse with no way out.
Shortly after Carter’s accident, Colby rode into the barn and yelled his name. Carter yelled back from the stall, requesting help, and when Colby got there, his face was bloody and the horse was growing increasingly agitated.
“Stay real still,” Colby advised. “When I push him back, you crawl out as fast as you can.” When Colby entered the stable, Carter escaped, but tragically, the horse kicked Colby to death before Carter was able to shoot him down.
How Does Colby’s Death Impact Yellowstone‘s Characters?
After hearing the shot fired, Rip raced to the barn to find Colby’s body and a distraught Carter. The two each claimed responsibility for the deadly accident, and Rip was tasked with making a tough phone call to Colby’s best bud Ryan (Ian Bohen) down at the 6666. Ryan was crushed by the news, but no one was more devastated than Teeter, who Ryan told moments after hanging up with Rip.
In a heart-wrenching performance by Jen Landon, Teeter processed the loss and broke down crying on her horse as dust swirled around her and music swelled. Yellowstone cut back to the ranch where Ethan (Ethan Lee) asked Rip if everything was OK. “Nothing’s OK,” Rip confirmed. “Not anymore.”
As the guys carried Colby’s body out to the truck, Carter broke down crying and the 6666 ranch hands embarked on an emotional ride home. “A stud got Carter down, kicked Colby when he went in to help,” Ryan told the team. “It was quick. Never saw it coming.” When he tried to assure Teeter that Colby didn’t suffer, she explained, “He’s a cowboy. Suffering’s the job. I just wish he would have suffered a little longer so I could say goodbye.”
If you need us, we’ll be sobbing to this nearly 10-minute video of Teeter and Colby’s best moments.
While Colby’s death was a shocking tragedy, Yellowstone fashioned a heartwarming, unexpectedly hopeful moment between Beth and Carter out of the pain.
After going to collect Colby’s belongings for his mom, Beth sought out Carter and found him hiding away, crying. “I fell in love in this room. I got pregnant in this room. And then I told the love of my life that I never wanted to see him again and he was sat right where you are,” she told Carter. “I was ashamed and scared…you take these things out on the ones you love the most for some reason.”
She encouraged Carter to stop blaming himself for the accident and assured him that Rip, Lloyd, and others who cared for Colby would be doing the same. Beth has been through her fair share of loss over these past five seasons, so she knows a thing or two about healing. “The reality is Colby made a choice. He saw you in trouble and he chose to help you, and I’m sure glad that he did,” she told Carter. “I’m grateful, and you should be too — otherwise he did it for nothing. You can honor his sacrifice or you can squander it, and that will be your fault.”
Before Beth left, she asked Carter if he planned to sleep there tonight or get through his grief alongside his family. When he told her he didn’t have a family, Beth gave him a comforting, “Sure you do,” and now we’re crying for MULTIPLE reasons.
OG Yellowstone fans know that Colby was a real one. He was a loyal ranch hand who was crucial to the business. He was a decent man with a huge heart. He’ll be sorely missed and morned, but if he had to go out, we’re glad he went out a hero, with a noble death that will leave a lasting impact on those he left behind.
With two episodes of Yellowstone‘s fifth and final season remaining and an all-out war in the family, we have reason to believe we haven’t seen the last death of the series, so be sure to tune in next week to see what’s in store.
New episodes of Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 premiere Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET on Paramount Network.
